The Senate late Monday voted 49 to 45 to limit debate on President Donald Trump's nomination of Stephen Vaden to be Agriculture Department general counsel.

Three Democrats — Senate Agriculture Committee ranking member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and two senators who were defeated in the November election, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Joe Donnelly of Indiana — joined Republicans in voting to move forward with the nomination.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on the Vaden nomination at 12:15 p.m. today.

Vaden is serving as deputy general counsel. His nomination is controversial because he defended voter ID laws when he was in private practice and he has played a role in developing unpopular workplace rules at USDA.